My Calendar

Events in May 2023

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
April 30, 2023(2 events)

LAST DAY: Call for Entries: 2023 Hillary Gravendyk Poetry Prizes

LAST DAY
April 30, 2023

Call for Entries: 2023

Hillary Gravendyk Poetry Prizes

Submissions from February 1-April 30, 2023

National and Regional awardees each win book publication and a cash prize of $1,000. Enter using Submittable: https://tinyurl.com/InlandiaSubmit

Inlandia Institute is excited to announce the opening of the submission window for the 2023 Hillary Gravendyk Prize poetry competition. Poetry book manuscripts will be accepted via Submittable from February 1 through April 30, 2023. One National and one Regional prizewinner will each be awarded $1,000 and a standard book contract.

The competition was created in memory of the late Inland Empire poet, Hillary Gravendyk, who passed away in 2014.

The Hillary Gravendyk Prize is an open poetry book competition for all writers regardless of the number of previously published poetry collections. The manuscript page limit is 48-100 pages, and Inlandia Institute Press invites all styles and forms of poetry. Only electronic submissions will be accepted via Inlandia’s ‘Submittable’ portal. Multiple submissions are accepted, with a $20 reading fee required for each manuscript. The winners will be announced Fall 2023 for publication in 2024.

All entrants will be considered for the National Prize, and entrants who currently reside or work in Inland Southern California, the “Inland Empire,” will also be considered for the Regional Prize (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, and any non-coastal Southern California area, from Death Valley in the northernmost region to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in the southernmost).

Hillary Gravendyk (1979-2014) was a beloved poet living and teaching in Southern California’s Inland Empire region. She wrote the acclaimed poetry book, HARM from Omnidawn Publishing (2012) and the poetry collection The Naturalist (Anchiote Press, 2008). A native of Washington State, she was an admired Assistant Professor of English at Pomona College in Claremont, CA. Her poetry has appeared widely in journals. She was awarded a 2015 Pushcart Prize for her poem “Your Ghost,” which appeared in the Pushcart Prize Anthology. Hillary Gravendyk passed away on May 10, 2014 after a long illness. This contest has been established in her memory.

For additional details about the Hillary Gravendyk Prize, or to learn more about Inlandia Institute, please visit inlandiainstitute.org.

This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.

 

Call for Submissions Inlandia Hearts Librarians OPENS

April 30, 2023

April 30-June 30, 2023

Call for Submissions: Inlandia Hearts Librarians

Special Library Issue

Call for Submissions for Inlandia: A Literary Journey

Submit to: https://tinyurl.com/InlandiaLibrarians

Now accepting art, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from librarians past and present on any topic and only about librarians/libraries from nonlibrarians for this themed issue.

Submissions open Saturday, April 30, 2023, and close Friday, June 30, 2023, at midnight Pacific Time.

Simultaneous submissions accepted. Previously curated submissions accepted. Translations accepted. See website for full guidelines.

May 1, 2023(1 event)

6:30 pm: Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats


May 1, 2023

Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
(All Levels)
Alternating Mondays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/17, 5/1, 5/15, 5/29, and 6/12/23

This workshop is free and open to the public, but space may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

In partnership with Inlandia Institute & Lift Our Voices Education

In this 5-session professional development workshop for writers, attendees will learn about the business of being a writer, the professional expectations, how to create their own opportunities, where to find funding or events, brand development, community resources and much more. If you are a writer interested in turning your words into more dollars this workshop is for you.

James Coats is an author, poet, and educator born in Los Angeles and raised in the Inland Empire. He received his BFA from Cal Poly Pomona and his MBA from Cal State San Bernardino. As a creative change agent, he believes the arts can inspire youth and influence positive change in the world. His first poetry collection, If I had Lived, was published in 2018. In 2021, he founded Lift Our Voices Education, which hosts the monthly “Be The Change: Social Justice Writing Workshop.” His newest poetry collection, Midnight & Mad Dreams, is published by World Stage Press. Follow him on Instagram @MrLovingWords.

May 2, 2023(2 events)

11:30 am: Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke


May 2, 2023

Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
(All Levels)
Tuesdays, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM PT, Zoom, Weekly. Workshops resume Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

This workshop is free, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Named in honor of beloved workshop leader CelenaDiana Bumpus, participants are encouraged to write from a prompt and share their work, with friendly critiques offered by workshop members. All genres are welcome to be explored. Enrollment is limited.

Wil Clarke tolerates writing, but loves having written. He was born and spent 27 years of his life in Africa. He misses the guidance and wisdom of Celena Bumpus and is attempting to keep her legacy alive in her former students through Celena’s Scribes.

7:00 pm: How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley


May 2, 2023

How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
(Beginners Only)
Alternating Saturdays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27, and 6/10/23

This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Do you want to start writing, but don't know how to get started? In this course, Renee Gurley shows you how to get your thoughts down on paper -- and then grow from there. Learn the basics of:

Creating Structure
Language Use
Point of View
Journaling, memoir, stories, and more

“How to Get Started Writing When You Don't Know Where to Start” gives you concrete tools to help you become the writer you’ve always wanted to be. It's a fun and exciting class for all aspiring writers!

R. Gurley, MA, MFA, is a writer and English teacher with over 20 years of experience with words, whose works have appeared in Coping Magazine, Lehigh Valley Woman’ s Journal, and Budget Press.

May 3, 2023(2 events)

2:00 pm: No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon


May 3, 2023

No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon
(All Levels)
Meets Weekly on Wednesdays, 2:00-4:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, and 5/10/23
Free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Participants will read excerpts from famous memoirs, which we will examine for structure, tone and craft. Each workshop session will include time for writing from prompts, and writers will share their work for feedback if they wish. We will practice editing and revision in the last two sessions.

Alaina Bixon is a freelance writer, editor, and publisher based in Palm Springs, CA. Her MFA from UC Riverside is in Creative Nonfiction, and she writes personal essays. Alaina has led Inlandia Institute workshops on creative writing, food writing, and memoir. Her company, Tilton Bass Publishing, helps clients launch their books into the world. She has written and lectured on pseudoscience, women at MIT, food history, and New Age San Francisco gurus.

​​

6:30 pm: Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson


May 3, 2023

Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
(18 +, College Students, Graduates, Young Adults)
Alternating Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/19, 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, and 6/14/23

This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

This poetry workshop is aimed to support young writers in refining their poetry for publication through a feedback-based workshop setting. Community care and trusted feedback will be fostered in a welcoming environment. Each session will create a space in which participants can relate to each other’s unique experiences as young writers. The authenticity of the writers’ work will be emphasized in a free, non-competitive setting.

Cait Johnson is a poetry and nonfiction writer with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from CSULB. She credits much of her writing growth to leading and participating in writing workshops over the last 5 years. Workshops helped Cait build the confidence to share her work with the public. Cait's poetry has been published by Picture Show Press, Left Coast Review, and Literary Alchemy Press. She has also created two zines of original poetry and serves as a co-founder and editor of Art of Nothing, an annual zine that showcases up-and-coming young artists.

May 4, 2023(3 events)

11:00 am: All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


May 4, 2023

(All Levels)

Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

5:30 pm: Ballet Folklorico at Riverside Main Library!


May 4, 2023

Our Arts Walk event "Music and Memoir" starts at 7:00, but come early if you can! Our second annual Cinco de Mayo performance by Ballet Folklorico Cultural dancers begins at 5:30 PM in RPL’s outdoor arcade. After the performance, join us inside for an open mic experience from 6:30-7:00 where you can read poetry, flash fiction, or an excerpt from your work in progress. And while you’re there, explore the month’s topic of books available for checkout in the Community Room. Don’t have a library card? Apply for one at the event!

 

6:30 pm: Music and Memoir: A Conversation About Writing, Post-Punk, and US Latinidad


May 4, 2023

Thursday, May 4, 2023

First Thursdays Arts Walk

“Music and Memoir: A Conversation About Writing, Post-Punk, and US Latinidad”

With Richard T. Rodríguez and Juanita E. Mantz

Free and open to the public. No registration required.

 

Riverside Main Library

Community Room & Arcade

3900 Mission Inn Blvd

Riverside, CA 92501

5:30 PM Ballet Folklorico Cultural – Arcade

6:30 PM Open Mic – Community Room

7:00 PM “Music and Memoir” – Community Room

Join Inlandia and Riverside Public Library at First Thursdays Arts Walk for a one-of-a-kind conversation between music loving authors Richard T. Rodríguez and Juanita Mantz. The pair will discuss their mutual devotion to punk and how it intersects with US Latinidad, and share their journeys from first inspiration to the completion of a book. How do the dots connect between British post-punk and Latinx audiences? How does punk music become the soundtrack of memoir? Join us in the RPL Community Room at 7:00 PM on May 4 to find out!

But come early if you can! Our second annual Cinco de Mayo performance by Ballet Folklorico Cultural dancers begins at 5:30 PM in RPL’s outdoor arcade. After the performance, join us inside for an open mic experience from 6:30-7:00 where you can read poetry, flash fiction, or an excerpt from your work in progress. And while you’re there, explore the month’s topic of books available for checkout in the Community Room. Don’t have a library card? Apply for one at the event!

May 5, 2023(1 event)

3:30 pm: Comic Book Storytelling for Teens with NARCOMEY


May 5, 2023

Inlandia Institute is excited to announce a new comic book workshop for teens! Join cartoonist and illustrator NARCOMEY for a class that will inspire your creativity and clarify your focus. Sessions will be held on Zoom over six consecutive Fridays – March 31, April 7, April 14, April 21, April 28, and May 5, 2023 – from 3:30-5:00 PM PT.

During this 6-week workshop, NARCOMEY will walk you through the basics of comic book storytelling. This will be accomplished by working on a simple, 4-page comic book story. Focusing on one page per week – along with a Q&A – NARCOMEY wants participants to leave with four complete pages of comic book layouts/roughs. This workshop is about storytelling, not pretty pictures, so don’t worry if you can’t draw a stick figure. The basics are what every craftsperson falls back on, and NARCOMEY hopes this basic storytelling workshop will give you a strong foundation to build your craft on.

The workshop is free and open to teens ages 13-18, but registration is required. To register, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/ComicBookTeens.

May 6, 2023
May 7, 2023(2 events)

1:30 pm: Celebrating Ten Years of Inlandia Literary Journeys


May 7, 2023

Inlandia Institute and UCR ARTS Present:

“Celebrating Ten Years of Inlandia Literary Journeys”

On Sunday, May 7, join Inlandia at the Culver Center for a special afternoon honoring a major milestone: ten years of Inlandia Literary Journeys columns! For the past decade, Inlandia writers have been contributing to the four Southern California News Group newspapers – The Press-Enterprise, Redlands Daily Facts, San Bernardino Sun, and Daily Bulletin. We’ve looked at all manner of topics and ideas – and offered our observations on the literary life of the Inland Empire. It’s time to celebrate.

Join column creators Johnny Bender and Cati Porter along with columnists from across the region for a look back at some of the most memorable columns, and a special tribute to our Inlandia Literary Journeys video interview series co-host Orlando Ramirez.

The program begins at 1:30 PM and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

The Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts is located at 3834 Main Street Riverside CA 92501.

Cati Porter is a writer, contributor to the Inlandia Literary Journeys column, and executive director of Inlandia Institute.

Johnny Bender is past board president of Inlandia Institute, founding editor and contributor to the Inlandia Literary Journeys column, and a retired Southern California News Group journalist.

2:00 pm: “Puppets in the Pantry” with Nicole Cloeren and Puppets a la Carte


May 7, 2023

Sunday, May 7, 2023

First Sundays at RAM

“Puppets in the Pantry”

with Nicole Cloeren and Puppets a la Carte

Shows at 2:00 and 2:30 PM

Riverside Art Museum

3425 Mission Inn Blvd

Riverside, CA 92501

2:00-3:00 PM

Free and open to the public. No registration required.

On Sunday, May 7, Inlandia Institute and Riverside Art Museum present Puppets a la Carte with Nicole Cloeren. Parents, kids, and aspiring puppeteers are invited to join us for this “First Sundays at RAM” event as Nicole takes you on a journey through her extraordinary kitchen. “Puppets in the Pantry” uses object puppetry to tell stories only a puppeteer can cook up. Take a seat at the table and bring your own ideas as together we feed the imagination! Puppet shows are scheduled for 2:00 and 2:30 PM in the atrium.

Nicole B. Cloeren is the founder and creative director of Puppets a la Carte where she uses puppets to feed the imagination.  Emphasizing play and techniques of improvisation, she creates a space of surprise and wonder in which we all learn from one another through puppetry arts. Nicole is a Teaching Artist with the McCallum Theatre. She likes to pretend her PhD stands for doctor of puppet handling. When not talking with her hands – or to her hands – Nicole enjoys eating jicama, playing dice, camping, and spending time with her family.

May 8, 2023(1 event)

6:00 pm: Writing for Children with José Chávez


May 8, 2023

Writing for Children with José Chávez

(All Levels)
Alternating Mondays, 6:00-8:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/10, 4/24, 5/8, 5/22, and 6/5/23

Free and open to the public, but registration may be limited.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW
This workshop is designed to meet the needs of those who wish to write or are writing for children. We’ll explore the writing voice for children, define a “picture book,” story arc, story introductions, appropriate vocabulary, children’s poetry, and more. There will be time to flex our writing muscles and develop the beauty and strength of our “voice” for children.

José Chávez is a retired bilingual teacher and dedicates his life to writing. He's had poetry published in the Multilingual Educator Journal, Acentos Review, Inlandia Anthology and has written two award-winning bilingual poetry books for children. He lives in Riverside, CA, is married, and has three grown children.

May 9, 2023(1 event)

11:30 am: Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke


May 9, 2023

Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
(All Levels)
Tuesdays, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM PT, Zoom, Weekly. Workshops resume Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

This workshop is free, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Named in honor of beloved workshop leader CelenaDiana Bumpus, participants are encouraged to write from a prompt and share their work, with friendly critiques offered by workshop members. All genres are welcome to be explored. Enrollment is limited.

Wil Clarke tolerates writing, but loves having written. He was born and spent 27 years of his life in Africa. He misses the guidance and wisdom of Celena Bumpus and is attempting to keep her legacy alive in her former students through Celena’s Scribes.

May 10, 2023(2 events)

2:00 pm: No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon


May 10, 2023

No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon
(All Levels)
Meets Weekly on Wednesdays, 2:00-4:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, and 5/10/23
Free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Participants will read excerpts from famous memoirs, which we will examine for structure, tone and craft. Each workshop session will include time for writing from prompts, and writers will share their work for feedback if they wish. We will practice editing and revision in the last two sessions.

Alaina Bixon is a freelance writer, editor, and publisher based in Palm Springs, CA. Her MFA from UC Riverside is in Creative Nonfiction, and she writes personal essays. Alaina has led Inlandia Institute workshops on creative writing, food writing, and memoir. Her company, Tilton Bass Publishing, helps clients launch their books into the world. She has written and lectured on pseudoscience, women at MIT, food history, and New Age San Francisco gurus.

​​

6:00 pm: All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle


May 10, 2023

All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle
(Int.-Adv.)
Alternating Wednesdays, 6:00-9:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24, and 6/7/23

Registration may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

In this multi-genre workshop, participants submit poetry and prose for biweekly critiques and receive feedback from other group members. Discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face. The workshop leader provides biweekly articles and links related to participants’ work, particularly to problems that were discussed in the previous session.

Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer, with fiction and nonfiction published in literary journals and anthologies, including in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. A collection of her short fiction, Acts of Contrition, was published by Los Nietos Press. Her chapbook The Mortality of Dogs and Humans is upcoming from Bamboo Dart Press in February 2023. Previously the managing editor of Inlandia: A Literary Journey, she helped to establish a yearly teen issue. In a previous life, she was a high school English teacher and librarian.

May 11, 2023(1 event)

11:00 am: All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


May 11, 2023

(All Levels)

Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

May 12, 2023(1 event)

4:00 pm: All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo


May 12, 2023

All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo
(All Levels)
Alternating Fridays, 4:00-6:00 PM PT, Zoom, 5/12, 5/26, 6/9, 6/23, and 7/7/23
This workshop is free, but registration is limited to 12 participants.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

In this multi-genre workshop, participants receive bi-weekly inspiration in the form of both poetry and prose. Prompts inspire writing in the genre of your choice. Class discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face in generating poetry, memoir, and short and long fiction.

Allyson Jeffredo is a poet, writer, and educator from the Coachella Valley. Learn more about her and her work at www.allysonjeffredo.com.

May 13, 2023
May 14, 2023
May 15, 2023(1 event)

6:30 pm: Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats


May 15, 2023

Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
(All Levels)
Alternating Mondays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/17, 5/1, 5/15, 5/29, and 6/12/23

This workshop is free and open to the public, but space may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

In partnership with Inlandia Institute & Lift Our Voices Education

In this 5-session professional development workshop for writers, attendees will learn about the business of being a writer, the professional expectations, how to create their own opportunities, where to find funding or events, brand development, community resources and much more. If you are a writer interested in turning your words into more dollars this workshop is for you.

James Coats is an author, poet, and educator born in Los Angeles and raised in the Inland Empire. He received his BFA from Cal Poly Pomona and his MBA from Cal State San Bernardino. As a creative change agent, he believes the arts can inspire youth and influence positive change in the world. His first poetry collection, If I had Lived, was published in 2018. In 2021, he founded Lift Our Voices Education, which hosts the monthly “Be The Change: Social Justice Writing Workshop.” His newest poetry collection, Midnight & Mad Dreams, is published by World Stage Press. Follow him on Instagram @MrLovingWords.

May 16, 2023(2 events)

11:30 am: Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke


May 16, 2023

Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
(All Levels)
Tuesdays, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM PT, Zoom, Weekly. Workshops resume Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

This workshop is free, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Named in honor of beloved workshop leader CelenaDiana Bumpus, participants are encouraged to write from a prompt and share their work, with friendly critiques offered by workshop members. All genres are welcome to be explored. Enrollment is limited.

Wil Clarke tolerates writing, but loves having written. He was born and spent 27 years of his life in Africa. He misses the guidance and wisdom of Celena Bumpus and is attempting to keep her legacy alive in her former students through Celena’s Scribes.

7:00 pm: How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley


May 16, 2023

How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
(Beginners Only)
Alternating Saturdays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27, and 6/10/23

This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Do you want to start writing, but don't know how to get started? In this course, Renee Gurley shows you how to get your thoughts down on paper -- and then grow from there. Learn the basics of:

Creating Structure
Language Use
Point of View
Journaling, memoir, stories, and more

“How to Get Started Writing When You Don't Know Where to Start” gives you concrete tools to help you become the writer you’ve always wanted to be. It's a fun and exciting class for all aspiring writers!

R. Gurley, MA, MFA, is a writer and English teacher with over 20 years of experience with words, whose works have appeared in Coping Magazine, Lehigh Valley Woman’ s Journal, and Budget Press.

May 17, 2023(1 event)

6:30 pm: Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson


May 17, 2023

Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
(18 +, College Students, Graduates, Young Adults)
Alternating Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/19, 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, and 6/14/23

This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

This poetry workshop is aimed to support young writers in refining their poetry for publication through a feedback-based workshop setting. Community care and trusted feedback will be fostered in a welcoming environment. Each session will create a space in which participants can relate to each other’s unique experiences as young writers. The authenticity of the writers’ work will be emphasized in a free, non-competitive setting.

Cait Johnson is a poetry and nonfiction writer with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from CSULB. She credits much of her writing growth to leading and participating in writing workshops over the last 5 years. Workshops helped Cait build the confidence to share her work with the public. Cait's poetry has been published by Picture Show Press, Left Coast Review, and Literary Alchemy Press. She has also created two zines of original poetry and serves as a co-founder and editor of Art of Nothing, an annual zine that showcases up-and-coming young artists.

May 18, 2023(1 event)

11:00 am: All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


May 18, 2023

(All Levels)

Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

May 19, 2023
May 20, 2023
May 21, 2023
May 22, 2023(1 event)

6:00 pm: Writing for Children with José Chávez


May 22, 2023

Writing for Children with José Chávez

(All Levels)
Alternating Mondays, 6:00-8:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/10, 4/24, 5/8, 5/22, and 6/5/23

Free and open to the public, but registration may be limited.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW
This workshop is designed to meet the needs of those who wish to write or are writing for children. We’ll explore the writing voice for children, define a “picture book,” story arc, story introductions, appropriate vocabulary, children’s poetry, and more. There will be time to flex our writing muscles and develop the beauty and strength of our “voice” for children.

José Chávez is a retired bilingual teacher and dedicates his life to writing. He's had poetry published in the Multilingual Educator Journal, Acentos Review, Inlandia Anthology and has written two award-winning bilingual poetry books for children. He lives in Riverside, CA, is married, and has three grown children.

May 23, 2023(1 event)

11:30 am: Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke


May 23, 2023

Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
(All Levels)
Tuesdays, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM PT, Zoom, Weekly. Workshops resume Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

This workshop is free, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Named in honor of beloved workshop leader CelenaDiana Bumpus, participants are encouraged to write from a prompt and share their work, with friendly critiques offered by workshop members. All genres are welcome to be explored. Enrollment is limited.

Wil Clarke tolerates writing, but loves having written. He was born and spent 27 years of his life in Africa. He misses the guidance and wisdom of Celena Bumpus and is attempting to keep her legacy alive in her former students through Celena’s Scribes.

May 24, 2023(1 event)

6:00 pm: All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle


May 24, 2023

All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle
(Int.-Adv.)
Alternating Wednesdays, 6:00-9:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24, and 6/7/23

Registration may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

In this multi-genre workshop, participants submit poetry and prose for biweekly critiques and receive feedback from other group members. Discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face. The workshop leader provides biweekly articles and links related to participants’ work, particularly to problems that were discussed in the previous session.

Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer, with fiction and nonfiction published in literary journals and anthologies, including in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. A collection of her short fiction, Acts of Contrition, was published by Los Nietos Press. Her chapbook The Mortality of Dogs and Humans is upcoming from Bamboo Dart Press in February 2023. Previously the managing editor of Inlandia: A Literary Journey, she helped to establish a yearly teen issue. In a previous life, she was a high school English teacher and librarian.

May 25, 2023(1 event)

11:00 am: All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


May 25, 2023

(All Levels)

Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

May 26, 2023(1 event)

4:00 pm: All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo


May 26, 2023

All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo
(All Levels)
Alternating Fridays, 4:00-6:00 PM PT, Zoom, 5/12, 5/26, 6/9, 6/23, and 7/7/23
This workshop is free, but registration is limited to 12 participants.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

In this multi-genre workshop, participants receive bi-weekly inspiration in the form of both poetry and prose. Prompts inspire writing in the genre of your choice. Class discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face in generating poetry, memoir, and short and long fiction.

Allyson Jeffredo is a poet, writer, and educator from the Coachella Valley. Learn more about her and her work at www.allysonjeffredo.com.

May 27, 2023(1 event)

12:00 pm: “What is Anime, Anyway?” A Conversation and Cosplay Mixer Hosted by Sebraé Harris


May 27, 2023

What is anime, anyway? And by the way, what is manga? And why are all those people wearing costumes? Over the weekend of May 27 and 28, the second annual Riverside Anime Con (anime convention) is happening at the Convention Center in downtown Riverside. In conjunction with this event, stop by Riverside Main Library Community Room from 12:00-2:00 PM on Saturday, May 27, for a conversation and Cosplay (costume play) mixer. Discover the differences – and similarities – between anime and manga, graphic novels and comics. Come dressed as you are, Cosplay costumes and street clothes alike, and be part of the conversation!

 Riverside Main Library is located at 3900 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92501. This event is free and open to the public.

Sebraé Harris – AKA “StarLite Crystal” – is an African American artist, entrepreneur, and professional mangaka. He started drawing at the age of four, and began taking art seriously when he was eight. Sebraé is a graduate of Riverside City College with degrees in Fine & Applied Arts, Animation, and Business & Entrepreneurship. The Vermillion Speedateer is his first manga/comic series.

May 28, 2023
May 29, 2023(1 event)

6:30 pm: Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats


May 29, 2023

Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
(All Levels)
Alternating Mondays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/17, 5/1, 5/15, 5/29, and 6/12/23

This workshop is free and open to the public, but space may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

In partnership with Inlandia Institute & Lift Our Voices Education

In this 5-session professional development workshop for writers, attendees will learn about the business of being a writer, the professional expectations, how to create their own opportunities, where to find funding or events, brand development, community resources and much more. If you are a writer interested in turning your words into more dollars this workshop is for you.

James Coats is an author, poet, and educator born in Los Angeles and raised in the Inland Empire. He received his BFA from Cal Poly Pomona and his MBA from Cal State San Bernardino. As a creative change agent, he believes the arts can inspire youth and influence positive change in the world. His first poetry collection, If I had Lived, was published in 2018. In 2021, he founded Lift Our Voices Education, which hosts the monthly “Be The Change: Social Justice Writing Workshop.” His newest poetry collection, Midnight & Mad Dreams, is published by World Stage Press. Follow him on Instagram @MrLovingWords.

May 30, 2023(1 event)

7:00 pm: How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley


May 30, 2023

How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
(Beginners Only)
Alternating Saturdays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27, and 6/10/23

This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

Do you want to start writing, but don't know how to get started? In this course, Renee Gurley shows you how to get your thoughts down on paper -- and then grow from there. Learn the basics of:

Creating Structure
Language Use
Point of View
Journaling, memoir, stories, and more

“How to Get Started Writing When You Don't Know Where to Start” gives you concrete tools to help you become the writer you’ve always wanted to be. It's a fun and exciting class for all aspiring writers!

R. Gurley, MA, MFA, is a writer and English teacher with over 20 years of experience with words, whose works have appeared in Coping Magazine, Lehigh Valley Woman’ s Journal, and Budget Press.

May 31, 2023(1 event)

6:30 pm: Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson


May 31, 2023

Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
(18 +, College Students, Graduates, Young Adults)
Alternating Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/19, 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, and 6/14/23

This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

This poetry workshop is aimed to support young writers in refining their poetry for publication through a feedback-based workshop setting. Community care and trusted feedback will be fostered in a welcoming environment. Each session will create a space in which participants can relate to each other’s unique experiences as young writers. The authenticity of the writers’ work will be emphasized in a free, non-competitive setting.

Cait Johnson is a poetry and nonfiction writer with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from CSULB. She credits much of her writing growth to leading and participating in writing workshops over the last 5 years. Workshops helped Cait build the confidence to share her work with the public. Cait's poetry has been published by Picture Show Press, Left Coast Review, and Literary Alchemy Press. She has also created two zines of original poetry and serves as a co-founder and editor of Art of Nothing, an annual zine that showcases up-and-coming young artists.

June 1, 2023(2 events)

11:00 am: All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


June 1, 2023

(All Levels)

Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

6:30 pm: First Thursdays Arts Walk “Paths to Publishing: Agents and Other Routes”


June 1, 2023

Thursday, June 1, 2023

First Thursdays Arts Walk

“Paths to Publishing: Agents and Other Routes”

with Jo Scott-Coe, James Luna, and Becca Spence Dobias

6:30-8:00 PM; doors open at six.

Free and open to the public. No registration required.

 

Riverside Main Library

Community Room & Arcade

3900 Mission Inn Blvd

Riverside, CA 92501

6:30-7:00 – Open mic readings – Community Room

7:00-8:00 – Author roundtable – Community Room

Join Inlandia and Riverside Public Library on June 1 for a First Thursdays Arts Walk event for writers, "Paths to Publishing: Agents and Other Routes.” The program will include a roundtable discussion with local authors Jo Scott-Coe, James Luna, and Becca Spence Dobias. Learn about their various paths to publication, including a step-by-step guide to submitting your work to a literary agent – and other means to a publishing end. The conversation will begin at 7:00, but come early if you can! A writers’ open mic is planned from 6:30-7:00.

For the open mic, you are welcome to read poetry, flash fiction, or an excerpt from a work in progress. And while you’re there, explore the month’s topic of books available for checkout in the Community Room. Don’t have a library card? Apply for one at the event!

Jo Scott-Coe’s essays and stories have been published widely, for literary as well as academic audiences. Her third book, Unheard Witness: The Life and Death of Kathy Leissner Whitman, is forthcoming in Fall 2023 from the University of Texas Press.

James Luna is the author of three books, all published by Arte Publico Press/Pinata Books: The Runaway Piggy/El Cochinito Fugitivo, A Mummy in Her Backpack/Una momia en su mochila and The Place Where You Live/El lugar donde vives. His fourth book published by Arte Público, Growing Up on the Playground, was released in 2018. Piggy was awarded the 2012 Tejas Star Award as chosen by the students of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

Becca Spence Dobias is a 2022 KissPitch mentee, working under the guidance of Jen Deluca, author of the Well Met series. She is the author of On Home (Inkshares, 2021) and has a book under contract with WVU Press about the North Central WV punk scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Her work also appears in Inlandia: A Literary Journey, two Writing Bloc anthologies, https://lgbtqreads.com/, and https://diymfa.com/ among other places. She reviews books for Southern Literary Review and co-hosts Writing Bloc’s Indie Writer Podcast. She grew up in West Virginia and now lives in Southern California with her husband and two children.

June 2, 2023
June 3, 2023